Favourite manga of 2018, onward

Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii: The best slow burn romance is the kind where readers enjoy each step of the protagonists’ journey, taking one’s sweet time reading the story — not desperately cling for a big bang conclusion!

Anyway, I love the coming-of-age theme that both protagonists have, and the curious ways they mature. It’s very slow burn, and executed well! I’m not dying for bodice ripping or explosive moments, nor a confession or soliloquy. I’m enjoying the characters grow into themselves and each other. Livius and Nike did the type of marriage where they’re legally married but acting betrothed until Livius comes of age. No wedding until then, so they’ve plenty of time to grow up and build their relationship realistically in all those intimacy departments before consummating.

But it’s an amazing slow burn style, because it’s interesting enough to wait and not feel like I’m wasting my time reading a romance that’s incredibly slow building. I love their interacting and individualization so much that I don’t care to rush my thoughts ahead. This is nice and refreshing in shoujo! Without the reader dying or frustrated with pointless filler/arcs (looking at mainstream shounen anime, yeah, I’m looking at you), I have fun watching them banter, get into trouble, all within a believably crafted fantastical setting.

Livius acquiring a birdchild by pure ignorance is just a bonus, I promise. Anyway, this has got to be my favourite shoujo manga in quite some time. Back to the Koine…